Been nearly 13 years between drinks for Count Raven but they are back with one of the most eagerly awaited Doom Metal albums in the past year.So has the long break between albums hurt the band,well the answer is a big no.In fact they sound like they are carrying on from where they left off with the 1996 release "Messiah Of Confusion".All of the Count Raven trademarks are still there including the "Ozzy" replica vocals and the true heart felt Traditional Doom Metal sound."The Poltergeist" is a classic Count Raven opening track with a great pace and melodic chorus.They haven't lost anything over the years with their skills at producing some well constructed Doom meets old school Heavy Metal.The already well downloaded/stolen by the masses track "Scream" is spectacular and of course similarities to the almighty Sabbath are present on every tune on the album."Nashira" is good but not outstanding in my book but things bounce back in full force with "The Entity" and the environmental epic title track "Mammon's War".This tune is features some cool keyboard work and the vocals really shine on this one."A Lifetime" kicks off in a Funeral Doom style before shifting to a "Planet Caravan" inspired acoustic part,really cool tune.This one has a Candlemass feel to it."To Kill A Child" is more of a Doom Ballad track of sorts,interesting but not a major highlight.You get even more acoustics in "To Love,Where Ever You Are" and yes they have mellowed in some respects.There is not much in the way of anger on this album,its more of a Psychedelic Cosmic Doom Trip."Magic Is" produces what is the most real Metal track on the album and they certainty seem to be playing with a lot of passion on this number.One of the best tracks on the album without a doubt,a couple more like this would have been a bonus.The pure Doom returns with "Seven Days",a slugging riff pushes the track to Doom greatness and is my pick for best track on the album."Increasing Deserts" moves the album back into Cosmic mode,similar to the title track.While Count Raven are known as a Doom band,they have always been more of a old school Traditional Heavy Metal band to me.Yeah,the Doom elements are still there but like previous albums they crossover between various heavy styles.Judging this album is difficult for me being such a huge fan of their earlier albums so i can't really say this is their best.Its not their worst either,just a great Count Raven album and a welcome return from them.Its been 13 years but some things never change and Count Raven is one of them,still sticking to their roots and playing very much from the heart.The album is not as "Doom" as i would have liked but i am just glad they are back.The artwork is not too shabby either and its also well produced.8.5/10
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:06 am
Thanks for posting my review, i really like the album but people still think of them as "Doom Metal" which is a little misleading. The earlier albums have more Doom elements than the new one, still its a real solid traditional Metal album. Its the kind of album Ozzy should make but i think that is just wishful thinking.
oldschooldoom Mattafakka
Number of posts : 126 Age : 113 Location : SoCal Registration date : 2009-09-21
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:38 pm
Earthdog?
ghosts of athanasius Pioneer Cave Keeper
Number of posts : 2129 Age : 52 Location : Montana Registration date : 2007-01-19
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:50 pm
indeed... earthdog is our newest member! Thanks to Napalm Dave for pointing him our way
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:15 am
Great to be here...Doom greetings to everyone !!
SabbSteve What is the Matrix?
Number of posts : 432 Location : In the misty morning,on the edge of time Registration date : 2007-05-04
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:20 pm
Hey,Dog Of Doom,welcome to the best kept secret (unfortunately !) of doom related boards,you have been a resident of my Planet Doom site for a couple of years.You are the hardest working promoter of the scene,besides John Perez,I have ever seen.Did the mighty Raven do a version of "Scream" without the intro,one of my all time favorite CR songs btw.
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:07 am
You can get this track on the I AM VENGEANCE soundtrack and it sounds a little different, it might be a different mix or something. Not sure about the intro thing, i went to posted a video version of Scream on here but it didnt work.
Number of posts : 432 Location : In the misty morning,on the edge of time Registration date : 2007-05-04
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:04 pm
Yeah,I have the IAV disc,thats why I was curious,hoping maybe Count Raven did a different mix,the movie's concept wasn't really my cup of tea but the soundtrack contained some AWESOME songs,Sadness was one of Las Cruces best songs ever IMO,a short,slow slab of doom with great lyrics,The Quill turned in a great one too,all three of those make it into my cd mix rotation regularly.There was supposed to be another disc released,did it ever happen ?
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:43 pm
There is some killer stuff on that disc indeed. Bullet in My Head (Blood Farmers), Burning A Sinner (Eternal Elysium) and Sea of Tomorrow (sHEAVY) are all good tunes. The Quill are a interesting band, i love the first couple of albums. The Voodoo Caravan album got played on a daily basis at my house when it first came out. I must have heard that album at least 1000 times by now. Strange things is i cant get into anything they have done since, don't know why but nothing grabs me like the early stuff did. I haven't heard anything about a second disc and i have never seen the movie but i bought the soundtrack lol.
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:49 pm
And back to Count Raven, i am working on getting a interview with Dan Fondelius, don't know yet if it will happen as i am having nothing but bad luck with interviews lately. I got promised a interview with Bobby Liebling and then had it taken away at the last minute and also had one with Dave Chandler but he pulled out the very day it was meant to happen. Life sucks sometimes.
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:57 pm
And i see above my default pic i am now a "wanker". WTF !
ghosts of athanasius Pioneer Cave Keeper
Number of posts : 2129 Age : 52 Location : Montana Registration date : 2007-01-19
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Sun Oct 18, 2009 7:13 pm
LOL nothing personal.. all get the wanker designee between posts 26-99 I think.. so post away if you want to shed that wanker status haha
SabbSteve What is the Matrix?
Number of posts : 432 Location : In the misty morning,on the edge of time Registration date : 2007-05-04
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Sun Oct 18, 2009 10:42 pm
ed wrote:
And back to Count Raven, i am working on getting a interview with Dan Fondelius, don't know yet if it will happen as i am having nothing but bad luck with interviews lately. I got promised a interview with Bobby Liebling and then had it taken away at the last minute and also had one with Dave Chandler but he pulled out the very day it was meant to happen. Life sucks sometimes.
IMO,their first and third albums were the best,of course I like the political side of them,that seems to be their strongpoint,that and the apocalpytic songs.
Of course I am the biggest Sabbath fan,but one thing you can say about CR,at least they didn't record an album that had nearly all sub-par lyrics.Soundwise,Born Again was AWESOME,but who wrote the lyrics,was it Tony,the irony of things,IMO of course, is that the one song with good lyrics,"Fallen" was left off the album,if someone had written more lines like that one,it would have been an all around masterpiece.
As for Raven,they have many great songs but every once in a while there is a WTF moment,In The Name and Ordinary Loser come to mind for me, ugh !
The What the Hell track,Creepshow, was subjectwise different, but my opinion on that one is that it was lyrically brilliant.Same with Scream,total apocalpyse,like the good ol days..........
ed Mattafakka
Number of posts : 190 Age : 59 Location : Seattle, Washington, USA Registration date : 2009-10-05
Subject: Re: COUNT RAVEN Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:40 am
ghosts of athanasius wrote:
LOL nothing personal.. all get the wanker designee between posts 26-99 I think.. so post away if you want to shed that wanker status haha
Subject: COUNT RAVEN 
Wed May 21, 2008 12:01 pm
Hey,Dog Of Doom,welcome to the best kept secret (unfortunately !) of doom related boards,you have been a resident of my Planet Doom site for a couple of years.You are the hardest working promoter of the scene,besides John Perez,I have ever seen.Did the mighty Raven do a version of "Scream" without the intro,one of my all time favorite CR songs btw.
